It was the only Derby victory by Whiting and Day, the Hall of Fame jockey.

Whiting, 77, missed much of the winter while hospitalized with complications from a long-term illness and stroke. Marty McGee, DRF, reported that Whiting had returned to work on Monday after missing more than six weeks recovering from his illness.

The son of a trainer, Whiting started working with horses after leaving the military in the early Sixties and opened his public stable in 1968.

According to Equibase, Whiting trained 1,279 winners and his horses earned $23.9 million in purses in 6,113 starts.

In addition to Lil E. Tee, Whiting had two other Derby starters – At The Threshold, finished fourth in 1984 and Phantom on Tour finished seventh in 1997.

Whiting worked out of Barn 18 near the gap, where he won the training title for the 1978 Fall Meet. He is survived by his wife, Nell, and two daughters – Carrie and Lori.